Switching apparatus



March 5, 1963 N. K. LINDGREN 3,030,458

SWITCHING APPARATUS Original Filed Dec. 21, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

March 5, 1963 N. K. LINDGREN 3,080,458

SWITCHING APPARATUS Original Filed Dec- 21. 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

fl/faW/f/ March 5, 1963 NR. LlNDGREN 3, 5

SWITCHING APPARATUS Original Filed Dec. 21, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 F IG. 9

as ea g5 INVENTOR.

ing unit 68 has stored a'determinable level of energy as corresponds with a determinable displacement of rod 78, this energy is released at a controllable rate. During the release of said energy ,at this controllable rate, there is no connection between line 66 and either of lines 70 and 72. Following therelease of a determinable amount of this energy, the reversing unit 68 then connects line 66 to one of lines 170 and 72 to provide a reversed operation of the washing machine.

Since'the reversing unit 68 has a maximum capacity of energy storage which corresponds to a certain displacement'of rod 78 as willbe seen, provision is made to permit the rotation of worm Wheel 46 after thismaximum has been reached Without damagingany of the components of unit 68. For this reason arm'76 is provided in sections 76a and 7612 as aforesaid, these sections being urged against one another due to the cooperative efforts of a 'washer 80 (FIG. '5) and a spring 82 which exerts an axial force against the member 76b.

The lug 74 which as aforesaid extends axially offthe wheel 46 engages arm 76 and causes a rotation of said arm and thus a movement of .rod 78. When movement of rod 78 is no longer possible, section 76bmoves axially against the force of spring 82 and sections 76a and 76b separate since'these sections are engaged with each other by means of ridge and groove arrangement 86 whereby the sections engage in the manner of a dog clutch.

From the above description it appears that the rotary power provided by source or motor 36 is not only employed'to rotate agitator 24, but is furthermore converted into a linear movement offthe rod 78. Since the motor 36 is reversible, rod 73 can move in eitherdirection along its own axis. Movementof the rod 78 functions to actuate the reversing unit '68 the details of which are illustrated in FIGS. ,6-12.

The reversing unit 68 is provided as shown in FIGS 6-12 with a casing 88of plastic or like insulating material, the cover of which hasbcen removed to enable an examination of the internal construction of this .unit. To correlate the. details, of switching unit 68 with the schematic circuit of FIG. 3, attention is directed to lines 66, 70 and 72 in FIG. 11 wherein is also illustrated rod 78.

As is seen in FIG. 11, line 66 is connected to ,a common conducting bar 90 whereby the voltage applied to line .66 is passednto displaceable members 92 and 94 of a switcher control 96,. On displaceable members 92 and'9j4 are provided contacts 98 and'10tl adapted to ensa c ntac s1 2111 16. ,10) and 0 (.F G- espectively. Contacts 102511 31 104, are inturn respectively c nected to conducting strips 106and .1 whic are connectedto terminals 1' 10ar1'd 112 to which are connected lines 70 and 72.

from what has been stated j above, it will be clear that if neither of displaceahlemflmbers 92 and 94 is engaged with the associated contact 102 or 104, line 66 is not connected to either of lines 70 or 72 and'the circuit of rotor 48 is open and the motor 36 is inoperative. It is likewise clear that aflselective engagement of contacts 98 and 102 or, in the alternative 100 and 104, will close a circuit selectively through either line 70 or 72 and will thus bring into play oneof field windings 5 2 or 54 (FIG. 3) thus selectively controlling the direction of rotation of rotor 48. As willhe .Shown, onlyone of lines 70 and 72 is, connected tolline166 at a, time'so that three conditions ohtaimltowit: either of field windings 52and 54 is rendered ,operative orsneither is rendered operative.

. R fe ence wi lbemade nextt 1 G.' wi h re p to expla ning th ope o .o reve sing vu 1 d i F G- 7 a e ill ra ed Con a t 1 0. d spl c a em e 4, l g arm 76 and rod 78,;r d bei provid d with a knob 114 engaged in an openingllfi in arm '76 bYmeamot which the rotary .movem'entof arm 76 is co verted to a linear movemen of rod.7.8.

At i hebcttom ofz-thesasins 88 cf the u i .168 is provided a slide 118. This slide supports two movable members and 122. As'can be seen in FIG. 12, members 120 and 122 are respectively provided with flanges 124 and 126 and 128 and 130, respectively. Each of these flanges is provided withan opening for accommodating rod 78 on which members 120 and 122 are free to slide.

Flanges 124 and 130 are connected by a helical spring 132 due to which members 128 and 122 are urged together. The separating of these members operates to place spring 132 under tension. Fixedly mounted on rod 78- are two collars 134 and 136. By means of these collars, displacement of rod 78 can be employed to eifect a relative displacement between the members 120 and 122. For example, with the members 120 and 122 positioned 'as illustrated in FIG. 7, a movement of rod 78 to the irght will be effective through the intermediary of collar 136 to displace member 122 to the right. The operation of members 120'and 122 will be further explained hereinafter.

As is best shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 10, beneath slide 118 are provided two pivotal levers or releases 138 and 140. These levers are generally pivotal about lugs 142 and 144 engaged in appropriate apertures inslide 118. The lever 13% further includes lugs 146 and 148 and the leverp further comprises lugs 150 and 152. Levers 138' and 140 are normally urged upwardly by means of springs154 and 156 whereupon the associated lugs protrude'upwardly through the associated apertures provided in slide 118. Lugs 148 and 152, as will be seen, constitute release lugs for releasing energy stored in the spring 132.

Returning momentarily to the displaceable members 92 and 941 of FIG. 11, it is to be seen in FIGS. 7 and 10 that these disp'laceable members include downwardly depending portions 158 and 1611, respectively. Furthermore, it is seen that displaceable member 92 is positioned beneath a fixed arm 162 whereas displacea-ble' member 94 is positioned beneath a fixed arm 164. Arms 162 and 164 tend to operate in conjunction with displaceable members 92 and 94 to limit the displacement of the lat- .ter which include spring sections 166 and 168 tending to urge contacts 98 and 100 away from contacts 102 and 104.

For the purpose of overcoming the normal action of spring sections 166 and 168, there is provided a control member 170. This control member selectively engages depending portions 158 and so as to operate selectively the displaceable members 92 and 94- to engage the respective contacts.

.Movement of member 170 is to a large extent controlled by displacement of the members 120 and "122. Member 170 is, however, additionally mounted on a piston rod 172 which not only guides the movement .of member 170, but also controls the rate of displacement thereof. To this'end piston rod 172 is operatively associated with. a piston in the dash pot or delay device 174 provided with an adjustable orifice means 176 vso the speed of admission or venting of air from the dash pot 174 is adjustable.

As indicated in FIG. 7, member 120 is held or fixed in position by lug 148 on lever 13 8. Movement of rod 78 to the right operates through collar 136 to displace member 122 to the right, the rod 78 sliding through the flanges of member 121 Since flange 130 is provided with opening'178, it passes over lug 146. However, flange 128 strikes against 111g 146 and rocks lever 138 to disengage lug 148 from member 120. Immediately thereafter the position of member 122 is fixed by lug 146 when lever 138 resumes its normal position under the i f ence o sp 5 During the movement of member 122 to the, right with member 120 being held in position, spring 132 is stretched and acts as an energy accumulator. During the period member 122 is moving to the right, member 17b remains in position engaged with depending portion 160. Movable member 94 is therefore held against contact 164 and line 66 is coupled to line 72.

Following the release of member 120, member 170 is moved to the right and, as shown in FIG. 8, members 92 and 94 are separated from contacts 162 and 104 and motor 36 is rendered inoperative. The period of time for which the motor is inoperative is determined by the time required for member 170 to move from the position shown in FIG. 7 to that shown in FIG. 10. This in turn depends on the strength of spring 132 and the action of dash pot 174.

Finally, member 17% assumes the position shown in FIG. and member 92 is brought into engagement with contact 102. This connects line 66 to line 76 and the rotation of rotor 43 is reversed.

Due to the symmetrical arrangement of parts, the above operation is reversed and line 72 next coupled to line 66, the reversing operations being effected by the reversed movement of rod 78.

There will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, many modifications and variations of the above structure. These modifications and variations will, however, come Within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

i claim:

1. A switching apparatus comprising a switch including a contact and a displaceable element adapted for engaging said contact, a rod displaceable in linear direction, first and second members displaceable relative to one another, a spring coupling said members, means for fixing the position or" one of said members and being operatively disposed with respect to the other of said members for being displaced by the latter upon a movement thereof, said other member being engaged and displaced by said rod whereby said spring is placed under tension, said other member upon a predetermined displacement thereof displacing said means for fixing said one member whereby the latter is released, and means responsive to said one member upon a predetermined displacement of the latter to urge the displaceab le element of said switch against said contact.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising a delay member coupled to the latter said means to control the speed of response thereof to said one member.

3. Switching apparatus comprising an energy accumulator, means coupled to said accumulator to supply energy to the same for storage therein, means operatively coupled to the accumulator for releasing the stored energy, means for controlling the rate at which the stored energy is released, said control means being elfective substantially immediately when said energy releasing means is rendered operable, and switch means coupled to the accumulator for being operated by the same upon the release of energy therefrom at a controlled rate by said control means.

4. Switching apparatus comprising first and second relatively displaceable members, a spring coupling said members, means operatively disposed with respect to said members for selectively fixing the position of said first member and responsive to the second member upon a predetermined displacement of the same for releasing said first member, means for displacing said second member whereupon said spring is placed under tension, said first member being released upon a predetermined displacement of said second member and switch means responsive to said first member for being operated by the same.

5. Switching apparatus com-prising a switch comprising two displaceable members, connecting means connecting said displaceable members, contacts operatively associated with said displaceable members but normally spaced therefrom, means selectively engaging said displaceable members to urge one of the latter into engagement with the contact associated therewith, a source of power, and accumulator means coupled to said source and to the second said means for selectively maintaining the same in engagement with one of said movable members, said accumulator means providing for a finite period of delay when switching the second said means between said movable members.

6. Switching apparatus comprising a casing, a slide on said casing, a rod longitudinally displaced through said casing adjacent said slide, members slidably engaging said rod, a collar on said rod between said members for selectively displacing the same, a spring connecting said members and adapted for being placed under tension in response to a relative displacement between said members, first and second levers including lugs operatively disposed with respect to said slide and said members, said lugs being adapted for fixing the position of respective of said members, said levers being displaceable whereby said lugs release said members, a further member positioned between the first said members and displaceable by the same, a dash pot coupled to said further member to control the rate of displacement of the latter and switch mem. bers selectively engaged by said further member upon displacement of the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,992,298 Westmoreland July 11, 1961 

1. A SWITCHING APPARATUS COMPRISING A SWITCH INCLUDING A CONTACT AND A DISPLACEABLE ELEMENT ADAPTED FOR ENGAGING SAID CONTACT, A ROD DISPLACEABLE IN LINEAR DIRECTION, FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS DISPLACEABLE RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER, A SPRING COUPLING SAID MEMBERS, MEANS FOR FIXING THE POSITION OF ONE OF SAID MEMBERS AND BEING OPERATIVELY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS FOR BEING DISPLACED BY THE LATTER UPON A MOVEMENT THEREOF, SAID OTHER MEMBER BEING ENGAGED AND DISPLACED 